A lottery is a type of gambling game where people pay a small sum for the chance to win a large prize, typically money. It is also used as a way to fund public works projects, such as roads and bridges. In sports, the National Basketball Association holds a lottery to determine who will get the first selection in the draft.
The term comes from the Dutch word lot (“fate”) and may be a calque on Middle French loterie, itself a calque on Latin lotium “drawing lots” (OED). The earliest state-sponsored lotteries were in the Low Countries, with records of them in towns such as Ghent, Utrecht, and Bruges dating back to the 15th century. In the US, Benjamin Franklin held a lottery in 1776 to raise funds for cannons to defend Philadelphia against the British. By the time of the American Revolution, private lotteries were common and widely supported.
Modern state lotteries have a long history and broad appeal, with nearly 60 percent of adults reporting playing in their lifetime. They generate substantial revenues that can be redirected to programs such as education and veterans’ health care without adding new taxes to the state budget. At the same time, they develop extensive and specific constituencies, including convenience store operators; lottery suppliers (who contribute heavily to state political campaigns); teachers (since revenue earmarked for them is usually a high priority); and state legislators. As the industry evolves, however, it generates criticism focusing on its effects on compulsive gamblers and its regressive impact on lower-income groups.